Additional DfT funding 2023-2025

As part of our county wide programme to improve roads and pavements, the council will be carrying out a carriageway patching operation using the process called Thermopatching.

• The Thermopatching process uses a thermal infrared heater, which is charged by mains power and solar panels, to heat up failed and failing material in the pothole and surrounding asphalt. The existing asphalt is then mixed with a small amount of new asphalt to create a homogeneous material and is then compacted with a roller.

Because the asphalt around the edges of the pothole is also heated, there is no joint, preventing the pothole from reforming.

The Thermopatching process is also much faster than traditional techniques: there is no need for saw cutting, jack hammering or breaking out the defect. Also, there is no requirement for vehicles to take waste material away or bring fresh asphalt in. This process offers carbon emission savings of more than 85%, compared to traditional methods.

Sustainability is our main long-term goal. By utilising this process, we recycle everything in-situ.

Another innovative technique to ensure the longevity and durability of our roads is retexturing.

• Retexturing is a reliable cost-effective surface treatment which is widely used as part of a highway asset management strategy. The process will extend the life of the asset and will improve micro-texture and macro-texture of the road surface which are the primary influencing factors in effective breaking.